Scatter Graphs

Learning Objective:

• we are learning to read and create scatter graphs
• success criteria: after studying this unit you will be able to
  • Decide if there is a link between two variables and how significant this is
  • Use scatter graphs to make predictions

Investing:

• Finding a correlation between two variables is used in many situations in daily life
• A functional (real-life) application is sports scientists using data to decide how heart rate affects athletic performance

Preparing:

• Are we ready? Can you already:
  • plot coordinates on a set of axes
  • read scales correctly
• Let's be sure you can...

Discovering:

• We could collect some data about how old a car is in years and how much it is being sold for
• Enter your data into the following widget putting age first then price...
  • For example a car 3 years old costing £12000 can be entered as {3,12000}

used cars spreadsheet (Excel) click to open

• What does the graph show you?
• Are there any exeptions to the graph?
• Investigate...

Modeling:

• A PowerPoint presentation introducing the concept of scatter graphs and correlation:
• 
• 

  Scatter Graphs and Lines of Best Fit.ppt
  

  • Details
  • Download
  • 2 MB
• Here are some examples of people getting it wrong in typical ways:
• Here are some more examples. Did they get it right or wrong? Explain how you know!

Discussing:

• What would this one be? Tell your learning partner. Convince them you're right.
• Explain how you know.
• How would you explain this to someone who was new to it?

Explaining:

• One way to do this is...
• Another approach might be...
• A useful shortcut is to...
• This works because...
• It doesn't work when...
• An exception is...
• Watch out for...
• A common mistake is...
• You can check your result by...
• We can prove this works by...

Practicing:

• Some straightforward examples.
• Some harder examples.
• Some mixed examples.
• Some non-examples to spot and some mixed questions with redundant, insufficient or contradictory data.
• You can demonstrate fluency by at least...

Sharing:

• A web page or wiki I have created to explain this can be found at...
• A presentation I have created and rehearsed looks like...
• A poster I have drawn or model I have made can be found...

Assessing:

• Check you've mastered this skill by...
• Show you understand by explaining...
• Prove you're an expert in... by...

Developing:

• Next we could learn...
• This leads to...
• Now try...